Between 1965 and 1988, everything stopped at 4 o4 oc’clock. That was because it was time for the British public to sit down in front of the TV and watch Kent Walton introduce “The Wrestling“.
Stars from all over the country became household names. Even today, they remain fondly remembered by people of a certain age, with the name “Big Daddy” being synonymous with wrestling in Britain.
In this article, we’re going to go through ten of the biggest and best of the British wrestling legends. Let us know who your favourite is in the comments, or tell us if we missed out your childhood hero!
1. Kendo Nagasaki
One of the most famous wrestlers to grace fan’s television screens in the 1960s and 1970s was the mysterious Kendo Nagasaki.
Billed as a Japanese warrior, this mysterious masked man touted to have some supernatural powers. He captivated the audience, enthralled by the mystery of the man from the Orient.
Of course, he was actually just Peter Thornley from Telford, but he really took the gimmick seriously. He would keep his mask on when leaving the arenas, to keep his aura alive. Even when fans tried to reveal his identity, the public didn’t want to believe. They kept the mystery alive.
Even Kendo Nagaski’s unmasking in 1977 didn’t turn them off too much. Fans were gracious enough to forget all about it when he put the mask on a few years later, although that segment was massive news in the UK at the time.
2. Mick McManus
Mick McManus has the claim to be perhaps the greatest heel in wrestling history. A huge claim to be sure, but one fans of “The Man You Love to Hate” will have no qualms in making.
His jet black hair (unnaturally so) and short stature made him the instantly recognisable, but his heel work made him unforgettable to the ITV wrestling viewers every week.
McManus bent the rules as much as he good, as Granny’s aimed handbags at him from ringside. Few people could turn the crowd on them as fast as he, making any good guy am instant hero when going up against the nation’s favourite villain.
He was such a big star, that millions would tune in just to watch Mick McManus in the ring. A reported audience of 20 million people tuned in to watch his first clash with Jackie Pallo in 1962, which his still a record in Great Britain.
3. Les Kellett
Fans of classic British wrestling will have fond memories of Les Kellett. He was as much of a clown as a competitor, and could bring audiences to tears with his hilarious comedy wrestling style.
While he was not loved behind the scenes (and many wrestlers absolutely hated Les Kellett), the wrestlers all appreciated the work he did in the ring.
You knew if you were on a card with Kellett, the crowd would be full and you’d get a good payday that night.
That alone makes him an absolute legend. To be so beloved by the public while being so hated behind the scenes was a skill that many in the business wish they could have perfected.
Learn more about the incredible career of Les Kellett.
4. Big Daddy
While he was not the most technically gifted wrestler in the world, Big Daddy is undoubtedly an all-time great character in British wrestling. Born Shirley Crabtree, the super-heavyweight found success as the John Bull-type character of Big Daddy.
With his big belly, glittery hat and a gaggle of kids chasing him to the ring, it was hard not to love Daddy. He became perhaps the most famous wrestler in history in the UK.
A reported 16 million fans tuned in to see Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks in 1981, and the likes of the Queen and Margaret Thatcher were said to be fans of the star.
While he was pretty terrible in the ring, no one has captured the zeitgeist like Big Daddy did. He had his own comic book, and TV show and even appeared on “This If Your Life”. Nobody has ever been as popular as Big Daddy, and he is a true legend of British wrestling.
5. Giant Haystacks
Every hero needs a villain, and the man who helped make Big Daddy a legend was Giant Haystacks.
The six-foot-eleven, 600lb monster had children hiding behind their sofas every Saturday afternoon. His wild hair and beard only added to the fear factor, and he was a villain in every sense of the word.
Despite once being Big Daddy’s tag team partner, it was their rivalry that captured the nation’s heart. They wrestled all over the country, with their biggest bout selling out Wembley Arena and drawing in millions of viewers.
Even after World of Sport was cancelled, Giant Haystacks continued his career. He had a short-lived run in WCW in the late 1990s, travelling to the US for the first time. They intended to have Giant Haystacks vs Hulk Hogan, but that match was cancelled at the last second.
6. Mark “Rollerball” Rocco
One of the most innovative wrestlers in British history has to be Mark Rocco. “Rollerball” was a beloved technical wizard, who the fans took into their hearts during the Golden Age of wrestling in the UK.
He feuded with top light-heavyweights of the day, beating names like Dynamite Kid, Marty Jones and Kendo Nagasaki.
He even went to Japan after wrestling Sammy Lee on World of Sport, wrestling under a mask as “Black Tiger”.
If the name Sammy Lee is unfamiliar to you, you will definitely know another name he went by. When he returned to Japan, Lee was given the gimmick of “Tiger Mask”, and went on to become one of the most innovative wrestlers in history.
His matches against Dynamite Kid helped create a new style of wrestling. They combined hard-hitting Japanese wrestling with the technical British, creating the modern junior heavyweight style of today.
7. Marty Jones
One of the best pure wrestlers to come out of Britain is Marty Jones. He was best known for his work in the 1980s and 1990s, after being trained by the legendary Billy Robinson as a youth.
His mentor gave him connections across the globe. By six months in the business, he was travelling to Japan and Mexico, competing against some of the world’s best.
He even trained William Regal, and remains good friends until this day. He claims he has five more matches in them, so Marty Jones isn’t retired just yet!
8. Catweazle
One of the most bizarre British wrestling legends, Catweazle appeared regularly on World of Sport for many years during its peak.
He was inspired by the TV show of the same name, and even took his name from it.
He wore a colorful, patchwork outfit and sported a wild, unkempt appearance. His ring persona was marked by quirky, unpredictable behavior, endearing him to fans.
Despite not being a top-tier wrestler, his unique style and entertaining antics made him a memorable figure in British wrestling. Catweazle’s contribution to the sport was his ability to blend humor and wrestling, making him a beloved icon of his era.
9. Sid Cooper
“Cyanide” Sid Cooper was a dastardly heel if there ever was one. In fact, many consider him an underrated worker, whose career spanned numerous decades.
He lasted the entire run of World of Sport on TV, showing an impressive longevity in the wrestling business. He was tough, rugged and instantly recognisable, and a favourite bad guy for many children of that era.
Sid Cooper was the childhood favourite of William Regal, which shows you how good he was. If a legend like Regal loved him so much, then he must’ve been something special.
10. Dynamite Kid
Very few wrestlers have had the impact on wrestling today than Dynamite Kid. He was a legend, not just in British wrestling, but in the US, Canada and Japan too.
Thomas Billington came through the Snake Pit in Wigan to become a star the world over. Alongside Davey Boy Smith, he became a tag team champion in the WWE in one of the greatest tag teams of the 1980s.
However, it was his matches in Japan that changed wrestling forever. Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask redefined wrestling, inspiring the modern-day junior heavyweight style. It still holds up as a five-star match today, and the English proved himself decades ahead of his time.
Dynamite Kid inspired some of the best ever wrestlers, like Bryan Danielson and Chris Benoit. His influence was unending, although his career was cruelly ended after a back injury in 1986.
11. Billy Robinson
Throughout his legendary 34-year career, Billy Robinson was considered one of the finest technical wrestlers in history.
The Englishman became a star in Britain, America and Japan, and is considered one of the greatest “catch-as-catch can” wrestlers in the history of the sport.
Robinson even wrestled against Japanese icon Antonio Inoki in 1975 in a match dubbed “The Match Between the World’s Top Two Technicians”.
While it was high praise to be compared to Inoki, Robinson’s greatest accolade was probably the students he trained. He is responsibly for the careers of some of the all-time greats, including Marty Jones, Johnny Saint, The Iron Shiek and Ric Flair, to name but a few.
12. “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith, better known as the British Bulldog, is one of the best wrestlers of all time.
Whether it be tearing it up as Young Davey on World of Sport, as a team with Dynamite Kid or in the main event of Wembley Stadium against Bret Hart, British Bulldog was an icon of wrestling.
Smith was probably the most popular Brit while State-side. He was a huge star during the 1980s, challenging for the WWF Championship multiple times in his career.
His career was effectively ended he landed on a trapdoor in the ring in WCW 1998, injuring the British Bulldog’s back. This event worsened the drug addiction that would later kill him. Despite this, he remains an icon of the sport and an all-time Great British wrestler.
13. William Regal
Englis legend William Regal was one of the most successful British wrestlers in WWE history, despite being fired by WWE and WCW (twice each).
He came through the circus tents in Blackpool to wrestling on TV as Big Daddy’s tag team partner. While this seems like a good deal, he left this opportunity to move to the US, signing for World Championship Wrestling.
He helped bring the British style of wrestling to the US, although drug issues hampered his career. He did win multiple championships in the WWE, including winning the Intercontinental Championship and King of the Ring in 2008.
William Regal’s King of the Ring win, mixed with his role as Raw General Manager, was meant to lead to him becoming the first ever British WWE Champion. Sadly, drug issues put a stop to that, and he settled into a mid-card role until he retired with one last match against Sami Zayn in 2014.
14. Nigel McGuinness
One of the finest wrestlers to ever come from Britain was Nigel McGuinness, although he could have been even greater.
The Englishman travelled to America to learn to wrestle under Les Thatcher. He had his first ever match televised on ABC’s 20/20. He eventually became a wrestler for Ring of Honor, and slowly built up a fanbase in America’s third-biggest promotion.
It was there that he found true fame, and put on some of the best wrestling matches ever. McGuinness had bouts with the likes of KENTA, Bryan Danielson and Jerry Lynn which cemented his as one of the world’s best wrestlers.
Sadly, Nigel McGuinness’ bicep injury cost him his WWE contract, while he contracted Hesitates B to ruin his TNA run. He retired from wrestling in 2011, moving onto a commentary role that he now occupies for AEW.
15. Finlay
The greatest wrestler to come from Northern Ireland has to be the legendary Finlay. A third generation star, he was a top heel during the peak of British wrestling, and one of the few wrestlers across Europe with their own finishing move (according to William Regal).
His overly-patriotic, pro-Irish character riled up the punters. It stoked the tensions of “The Troubles”, and made Finlay one of the most hated men in the United Kingdom wrestling scene.
Outside his great character work, Fit Finlay was one of the best in-ring workers of all time. He worked a realistic, heavy-hitting style that made people think wrestling was real.
When he joined WCW in the 1990s, the American wrestlers were scared to face him, afraid that he would snap their arm in half in the ring. Luckily, William Regal was happy to face him, and their matches were some of WCW’s best ever.
He retired after WCW closed but, but came out of retirement years later. He became a champion in the WWE well into his fifties, showing his longevity and talent all over the world for over forty years.
16. Johnny Saint
While his claim of being the world champion for 20 years straight wasn’t quite as impressive as it first seemed, Saint was one of the premier lightweight wrestlers for over two decades in the UK and Europe.
He is noted to have inspired wrestlers like William Regal and Daniel Bryan. The WWE brought him in train others at the performance centre. He was then made the general manager of NXT UK, six decades after debuting in wrestling.
Inside the ring, he was noted as one of the finest technical wrestlers of all time.
Many have noted that nobody was ever as smooth as Saint in the ring. He was called “the man of 1000 holds” in his heyday, a very apt nickname indeed.
